Our queen claims Miss Rodeo Australia crown

TAKING the reins as Miss Rodeo Australia, is a dream come true for Miss Warwick Rodeo 2013 Danika Boland as she was crowned at the presentation evening on Saturday night at the Australian Rodeo Heritage Centre.

The 2012 National Rodeo Queen, 2013 Miss Warwick Rodeo and 2015 Miss Rodeo Australia is the only queen to have held all three titles. She is also only the second Warwick entrant to take the crown and the first married woman to ever win the prestigious award.

Developing a love for horses when she was 10, Ms Boland started competing at rodeos when she was 15 and her passion and dedication to rodeos has escalated ever since. Ms Boland said she was so grateful to have won the Warwick Rodeo Queen Quest, which contributed to her receiving the Australian crown and the opportunity to promote rodeo throughout the nation and internationally.

"Winning Miss Rodeo Australia is something I have wanted for a long time," she said. "I plan to be the best role model I can be for the young people, promote rodeo as a way of life and educate people in Australia's rich rodeo history. I really want to look outside the box and get involved in more charity events."

Ms Boland has a busy 12 months ahead of her and will be attending as many rodeos as she can, along with making appearances at a number of functions and travelling overseas to the Canadian finals in November and the world finals in Las Vegas in December.

As a joint business owner, Ms Boland said she had the ability to dedicate more of her time to the role and intends to make the most of it.

"Nine out of 10 weekends I am already at rodeos," she said.

"It's wonderful I am able to do even more of what I love."

The new Miss Rodeo Australia committee was extremely pleased with the outcome of the event and plans to work hard to lift the profile of rodeo and the importance of rodeo queens.

Quest co-ordinator Karen Burraston said it was great to have the judging back in Warwick.

"We are lucky to have a number of previous rodeo queens, APRA members and rodeo champions on the new committee," she said.

"Being our first year organising the quest and the first year to be held in Warwick in a long time, it was great to see our very own rodeo queen crowned as Miss Rodeo Australia."